Fiber cleaning cylinder



Oct. 26, 1937. J. BLEWETT FIBER CLEANING CYLINDER Filed 001;. 21, 1935 51 2 Lea H5 Patented Oct. 26, 1937 PATENT OFFICE FIBER CLEANING CYLINDER John Blewett, Dallas, Tex., assignor to The Murray Company, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application October 21, 1935, Serial No. 45,946

3 Claims.

, inders for use in fiber cleaning machines such as cotton cleaners.

One object of the invention is to provide a cleaning cylinder for use in a machine employ ing a number of such cylinders for cleaning fibers such as cotton, and involving an improved structure whereby certain advantages of particular importance are obtained.

An important object of the invention is to provide a cleaning cylinder preferably of the cruciform type, which has imperforate outer surfaces, thereby avoiding accumulations of fiber and trash within the cylinder, as well as doing away with breaking or chopping of fibers, leaves and stems, and producing a desirable fan action; also providing continuous pockets or cradles for carrying the fibers over the screens and delivering them to the next cylinder without interlocking.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved cleaning cylinder having wings or vanes at its ends acting to cast out fibers and trash, thereby being self-cleaning and reducing the fire hazard to a minimum.

It has been found that by the use of these cylinders, no additional boll breaker is required and. the quantity of shale, leaf trash, motes and dirt removed necessitates the use of a larger conveyor than is ordinarily used; also the slight fan action, rather than a drastic one, and the beating effect given to the cotton as it passes over the screen, are more eificient in cleaning the cotton as well as imparting a bloom and a creamy white color, which increases the value of the fibrous material being cleaned.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cotton cleaner equipped with cylinders constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the cylinder,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one end of the cylinder,

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of the same, and

Figure 5 is a partial perspectiveview of one of the cylinder sheets.

In the drawing the numeral I0 designates a shaft which extends axially through the body ll of the cylinder and projects beyond the ends thereof to form bearing trunnions. The cylinder body includes cruciform end plates l2, preferably cast with an axial box l3 and radial wings M on its outer face.

Each plate is formed with a marginal flange IE on its inner face set back slightly from its edges to receive the body sheets IS, the edges of which abut the end plates. These sheets are fastened on the flanges by bolts I! and nuts l8. The cruciform shape of the end plates produces four equally spaced arms is along which the wings l4 extend. The flange I5 is shaped at the outer end of each arm to support on end a flat longitudinal bar 20. Radial spikes or pins 2| have their inner ends extending through both the A bars and the sheets. Theshank of each spike is provided with an annular" shoulder which engases the outer face of the sheet. The inner end of each shank is then flattened, thus holding the bars and sheets together. The spikes are otherwise of the usual construction.

As the body is shown with four offsets or projections due to the arms IQ of the end plates, it will be so described, but it is to be understood that the number of arms and projections may vary. Inorder to provide a continuous covering for the body the sheets are longitudinally overlapped and also to make for economical manufacture, each sheet is a duplicate of the other sheets and four sheets complete the covering or shell.

Each sheet includes an intermediate longitudinal crown strip A which is of such size and shape as to snugly fit on its correlated bar 2!]. Inclined apron panels B and C extend inwardly from the crown strip, the panel B being the advance panel and C the trailing or following panel. By observing Figure 5 it will be seenthat each sheet has a substantially V-shape conforming to the contour of the arms IQ of the end plates. The panels C each have at their inner edges, a longitudinal flange D bent therefrom.

When the sheets are fastened in the flanges l 5, the flanges D overlap the inner edge portions of the panels B as is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3. By this arrangement the only scams or breaks in the covering of the body come at the bases of the trailing panels C, leaving the crown strips and advance panels B smooth and continuous. The flanges and the panels are fastened together by bolts 23, some of which also pass through the flange l5. Bracing spiders (not shown) shaped like the end plates l2, may be mounted on the shaft within the body II to give additional strength.

The sheets l6 provide a continuous covering for the body and permit the body to be made hollow to reduce its weight, yet obviates any openings in the body in which. cotton fibers and trash may collect and choke the cleaner. All edges which might cut the materials are eliminated. Owing to the inclinations of both the panels B and C, the materials are readily cast.

from the pockets formed between the offsets and also a slight fan action is set up which creates sufficient draft which forces the light dust and foreign matter through the screens. If openings were present in the cylinder covering not. only would the cotton and trash collect therein, but there would be a tendency to create too strong afanaction- The continuous covering also tends to strengthen the cylinder and to brace it against twisting.

In Figure 1, Ihave shown a plurality of cylinders. mounted in a cotton cleaning machine. The bodies- I J are disposed. over concaved screens 24 concentric to, the shafts ID. The wings l4 pass in.close proximity to the sides of the machine and act to cast the cotton fibers and trash outwardly, thereby preventing accumulation around the shafts between the end'plates l2 and the sides of the machine. This not only makes the cylinders self-cleaning at their ends, but reduces the fire hazard to aminimum. The continuous coverings, formed'by the sheets l6 and the offset structure,.act most efficiently in forcing the trash through, the screens andin pitching the fibers from one cylinder to the next without choking or interlocking.

It is pointed out that the term cruciform as used herein is. used generally, and it is not intended thatthe. cylinder be limited to. having. four wings, as shown, as any desirednumber ofwings maybe provided on each cylinder.

In practice the inclination of the long panel B described as the advance panel as always leading is of a flatter angle than the trailing short panel C. This produces more of an outward pressure against the screen on thecotton carrying side B of each offset, whereas the more nearly radial short side 0 is designed to give a large clearance and to turn the cotton over in the pocket between adjacent oflsets.

What I claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A fiber cleaning cylinder including, cruciform end plates having outwardly directed arms,

a. shaft extending axially through said plates, elongated sheets each including a crown strip and: inclined advance and trailing panels secured on the arms of said end. plates, each sheet having a flange on its trailing panel overlapping the advance panel of. the next sheet, whereby a continuous offset covering is provided, bars attached tothe end plates and underlying the crown strips of the sheets, and spikes extending through the bars and the crown strips of.the sheets.

2. A. fiber. cleaning cylinder including, cruciformend plates having outwardly directed arms, a shaft extending axially through said plates, elongated sheets each,including a crown strip and inclinedadvance and'trailing panels securedv onthe arms of said end plates, each sheet having a .fiange'on its trailing panel overlapping the. advance panelof the next sheet, whereby a con- JOHN BLEWETT. 

